BRICS adopts New Delhi Declaration after Iran, UAE agree to compromise on war language

New Delhi: India secured consensus among the 11 members of BRICS on Saturday (September 12, 2026), enabling the grouping to adopt the New Delhi Declaration after Iran and the United Arab Emirates accepted a last-minute compromise on the language used to describe the war in West Asia.

The summit was held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi and chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leaders of eight member countries attended, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the leaders of Indonesia, Ethiopia, Egypt and South Africa. Brazil and the UAE were represented by senior officials.

The declaration does not name the United States or Israel in connection with the strikes on Iran, nor does it mention Iran's subsequent strikes on its Persian Gulf neighbours, including the UAE. Instead, it calls for "maximum restraint" in the conflict. It makes no separate reference to the war in Ukraine.

Officials said the paragraphs on West Asia required negotiations at "various levels", including overnight talks and discussions between Mr. Modi and the leaders of Iran, Russia and the UAE. In a notable diplomatic development, Mr. Pezeshkian met the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, on the sidelines of the summit — a rare direct contact between the two countries' leaderships.

The declaration expresses "deep concern" over attacks on civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities in West Asia and calls for the protection of civilians.

On Gaza, the grouping criticised Israel's bombardment, supported South Africa's case against Israel in international courts and called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the territory, where, according to the declaration, more than 70,000 civilians are believed to have been killed. An eight-paragraph section criticises the "forced displacement, temporary or permanent, under any pretext, of any of the Palestinian population from the Occupied Palestinian Territory". The declaration backs a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine and full United Nations rights for a Palestinian state.

The statement also criticises the United States' blockade of Cuba and expresses concern over the violence in Sudan.

Addressing the leaders, Mr. Modi said that 20 years after the grouping of emerging economies was formed, BRICS was "coming of age" with a "distinct identity" that was not directed against any other country. "We respect each other's perspectives and move forward through consensus. We strive to move ahead with an approach that is not against anyone but instead seeks to take everyone along," he said — remarks widely read as a response to criticism in the United States that BRICS is an "anti-Western" bloc.

Mr. Modi proposed a "troika" arrangement similar to that of the G-20, so that the incoming and outgoing chairs of BRICS provide continuity to discussions. He also suggested a roadmap for reform of global governance, a seafarer distress network, and a BRICS Global South mechanism for skill development in new technologies.

The declaration calls for "comprehensive reform" of the United Nations, including a larger role for Brazil and India on the Security Council.

Mr. Xi, who held an hour-long bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi after the session, announced that China would hold the BRICS presidency for the following year. He described the grouping as the "world's most influential platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries".

The declaration also addresses economic cooperation among members; further details were not immediately available.